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Armenian Church

Location

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1363-1908.
7, Virmenska str.

Armenian ChurchArmenian church is one of the most ancient churches in Lviv. In 2001 this sacral place was returned to the renewed Armenian Apostle church. The name of the church was also renewed and became the Virgin Mary's Dormition church. There is an Armenian cemetery with old grave monuments (XVI-XVII) and the wooden chapel “Calvary” (XVIII) in the yard of the church.

The armenian Diaspora in Ukraine has around 150.000 people. One of the most important places, where Armenians lived for a long time, is Lviv, or Lwow, as it was called in soviet time.

The tower of the armenian church Armenians lived in Lviv since the 14th century, most of them merchants or craftsmen. Many of them dwelled in the armenian street or Bulitsa Virmenska in the center of the old town. This street is still very calm today and some of the houses are already impressively renovated.
the entrance to the armenian church
The belltower is very easy to locate, he was built in 1571 and is very impressive. His four corners are formed like colonnas and have a small tower each. The entrance to the church itself is located in a yard, which can be entered from two sides.

The church was built in the year 1363 and underwent many reconstructions. So it is obvious that she does not resemble at all to the typical armenian churches.
Wooden Altar

stones in the interior of the church The inner yard shows an impressive wooden altar from the 18th century and has many tombstones or memorial stones, some of them older than the church, more than 600 years.
For many years the interior was closed and every access forbidden, valuable icons were stored in the rooms. Now the icons are stored elsewhere and the church can fulfill it's proper purpose: to serve for service and prayer.

Die Innenbemalung der Kuppel January 5, 2001 the first service after long years was celebrated, a happy begin for the armenian jubilee year "1700 years of armenian Christianity"